Remote actuating means for aerosol dispensers



April 3, 1962 w. c. BEARD, JR

REMOTE ACTUATING MEANS FOR AEROSOL DISPENSERS Filed June 18, 1958INVENTOR WALTER C. 85A RD, JR. BY

3,028,054 REMOTE ACTUATTNG MEANS FOR AEROSOL DHSPENSERS Walter C. Beard,In, Middlebury, Conn., assignor to The Risdon Manufacturing Company,Naugatuck, Cnn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed June 18, 1958, Ser.No. 742,911 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-180) This invention relates to valvecontrol actuating means for aerosol containers and more particularly toactuating means for controlling an aerosol spray valve at a pointremoved from the container and valve so that the valve can be remotelyoperated.

The spray valve actuator of the present invention is adapted primarilyfor use with pressurized spray devices of the type having dispensingvalves which are operated upon tilting the valve stem as distinguishedfrom the plunger type of dispensing valves, in which the valve stem ismoved longitudinally in order to operate the valve. In this respect, ithas been customary to provide a suitable nozzle at the outermost end ofthe valve stem, through which the fluid is atomized when the nozzle andstem together are tilted to open the valve.

In order to operate a spray valve of the above mentioned character, aforce must be exerted on the nozzle or valve stem in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said stem.Ordinarily such force is applied by simply placing a finger on the backof the nozzle or stem itself and pressing forward. However, certaininsecticides, germicides, fungicides or other liquids are known to beharmful to a person when they come in contact with the skin and shouldtherefore be marketed in spray devices adapted to be remotely operated.Furthermore, it is sometimes desirable to place an aerosol containerwithin another container, such as a garbage can, and to be able todispense the contents of the aerosol device without opening the outercontainer. It must also be borne in mind that in devices of this kindthe spray container or aerosol can is almost always of the disposabletype and is destroyed as soon as the can is empty. Reduction in costsis, therefore, an extremely important consideration, as an increase ofonly a fraction of a cent in the cost of the spray device will mean alarge increase in total cost when hundreds of thousands or millions ofsuch devices are involved.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to providenovel actuating means for the spray valves of aerosol pressurizedcontainers of the above-mentioned character, wherein said means embodiesa simple, durable, highly efiicient yet extremely inexpensiveconstruction.

Another object is to provide an integrally formed spray nozzle andpush-rod construction for use with aerosol spray devices.

A still further object is to provide an improved spray valve actuatingmeans which is more specifically but not exclusively designed to permitthe mounting of an aerosol spray device internally of an enclosure or onthe opposite side of a protective wall, while providing means foreffectively operating the spray valve of said spray device from alocation outside said enclosure or protective wall.

Actuating means according to the invention comprise a nozzle portion anda push-rod integrally joined thereto by means of a hinge section,wherein the nozzle portion is freely tiltable relative to the push-rodto permit rectilinear movement of the push-rod for tilting the nozzlewhen actuating the spray valve. The nozzle portion and pushrod areconstructed so as to be relatively rigid and may be formed in a moldusing a suitable plastic material, the nozzle and push-rod beingintegrally joined by a flexible hinge section of relatively thin crosssection. Such a atent O 3,928,954 Patented Apr. 3, 1962 device may bereadily manufactured at low cost so that it can be discarded along withthe spray container when the latter is empty.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View of a container illustratingthe actuator of the present invention in use;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a spray containerand actuator wherein the actuator is illustrated in operative positionon the stem of a valve of one particular design;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the actuator of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 3;

and

FIG. 5 is a bottom view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a practical application ofthe invention wherein an aerosol spray can ll) is mounted inside anenclosure or container 11 such as, for example, a diaper or garbage pailwhich is to be frequently sprayed with a certain germicide, deodorizeror other liquid. In the particular arrangement illustrated, thecontainer 11 is provided with a cover 12, having a pair of spring clips13 secured to the underside thereof. Clips 13 are of the so-calledbicycle type which have a gripping force sufficient to fix the spray can10 in place during normal use while permitting easy removal of same forreplacement purposes. An actuator 14, having an elongated push-rod 15extending through an opening 16 in cover 12 and a connecting nozzleportion 17, is positioned on the end of the valve stem of a valve 18(FIG. 2) in the spray can 10.

The dispensing valve 18 is of a construction shown in the application ofFrank Venus, Jr., Serial No. 438,543, filed June 22, 1954. The valveshown for illustrative purposes includes a tiltable tubular valve stem19 having one end fitted into a resilient valve seat 20 in the mannerillustrated in FIG. 2. A flanged valve cup 21 is provided to hold thegasket and valve stem assembly in place when the recessed cover 22 iscrimped over the lip of the mouth of can 10. The end 23 of valve stem 19is closed and is provided with a circumferential channel 24 with aplurality of communicating apertures 25 extending into the inner bore 26of stem 19. When stem 19 is tilted by applying a force substantially ina direction normal to its longitudinal axis, a part of end 23 thereof islifted away from the valve seat 20 to permit the fluid 27, which isnormally under pressure, to pass into channel 24, through apertures 25into bore 26 and outwardly of stem 19. Upon release of stem 19, theresiliency of the valve seat 26 will cause the valve stem to return toits normal inoperative position (FIG. 2) whereby channel 24 will becompletely sealed by the material of gasket 20 and prevent furtherdischarge of fluid 27.

The present invention, which is directed to the actuator 14, provides animproved means for operating valve stem 19 generally in the abovedescribed manner, but from a location somewhat remote from the valvestem 19 and on the opposite side of a partition, such as the cover 12,separating the operator from the spray can 10. This permits theoperation of the spray can 10 from a location outside the container 11and further obviates the possibility of harmful liquid contents whichmight be escapes reduced in diameter at a predetermined distance fromits open end to form an annular shoulder 29. The larger diameter of bore28 is controlled to produce a press fit on the stem 19 as shown in FIG.2, and the shoulder 29 of bore 28 limits the extent to which nozzle 17may be 'forced onto stem 19 by striking its upper end.

With the nozzle 17 fitted on stem 19 in the manner illustrated in PEG.2, the innermost end of bore 28 provides a chamber 31) for receivingfluid passing through stem 19 when valve 18 is actuated. An enlargedrecess '31 is provided in the outer surface of nozzle 17 oppositepush-rod 15 with an orifice 32 extending between recess 31 and chamber311 to form a nozzle for atomizing the fluid 27 which is forced underpressure into chamber 3% when valve 18 is actuated.

In order to effectively actuate valve 18 in the manner described above,nozzle 17 and push-rod 15 of actuator 14 are joined together by anintegrally, formed reduced flexible hinge-like, section 33. Push-rod 15and hinge section 33 are preferably joined with the nozzle portion 17 ata location diametrically opposite the orifice 32 thereof and aredisposed along an axis normal to the longittuhnal axis of the nozzleportion 17. Push-rod 15 is generally semicircular in cross-sectionalshape and is provided with a plurality of transversely andlongitudinally extending ribs 34 and 35, respectively (FIGS. 2 and whichrender it relatively rigid despite the flexibility of the material ofwhich it is made. The outer end of the push-rod forms a fully circulardisk 34', against which the finger is pressed in order to actuate thevalve, the outer half of disk 34' being supported at the center by awall 35 that curves down to the middle longitudinal rib 35, as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5. By so constructing push-rod 15, the desired rigidity maybe obtained while providing a substantial saving in material. It isapparent, therefore, that this construction permits use of a flexibleplastic material that provides adequate rigidity of the push-rodwhileallowing the hinge section to be bent repeatedly without breaking.

The length of the combined push-rod and hinge section 33 is selected sothat the uppermost end of push-rod 15 will extend outwardly of cover 12(FIGS. 1 and 2) an amount sufficient to'allow proper actuation of valve18. By depressing push-rod 15 as illustrated more particularly in FIG.1, valve stem 19 is tilted downwardly to discharge the fiuid 27 throughnozzle opening 32 in the conventional manner. In thus manipulatingpush-rod 15, the angle between it and the nozzle portion 17 attached tovalve stem 19 is allowed to change due to the flexibility of the narrowhinge section 33. When the pushrod is released, the resilient action ofthe gasket will return it to its initial position of use (FIG. 2) andsimultaneously close valve 18 as described above.

It should be particularly noted that by providing the integrally formed,reduced hinge-like section 33 between push-rod 15 and nozzle portion 17of actuator 14, a free flexing between push-rod 15 and nozzle portion 17is ob tained, thereby providing an effective and smooth acting actuatingmeans for operating valve 18 of the spray device 19. In this connection,the side walls of push-rod 15 adjacent hinge section 33 are beveled at36 so that they are not squeezed against the back of the nozzle portion17 when the latter is tilted upon depressing pushrod 15.

It isto be understood that the spray device 10 may be operativelymounted on other parts of container 11 such as a side wall, wherein itwill be disposed in a vertical position rather than the horizontalposition illustrated in FIG. 1. Furthermore, the container of FIG. 1 isof course shown by way of illustration only, as the device or" theinvention is not limited in use to any particular size or shape ofcontainer, and may be in fact simply a protective shield, through whichthe push-rod extends.

VvhatiS claimed is:

1. An actuator for use with dispensing valves in aerosol spray devicescomprising a cylindrically shaped relatively rigid nozzle portion havinga longitudinal bore therein for receiving a connecting part of adispensing valve to be used therewith, a spray orifice between said boreand the outer surface of said nozzle portion, an elongated relativelyrigid push-rod connected to said nozzle portion at a point substantiallydiametrically opposite said spray orifice and normally extendingsubstantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said nozzleportion, and a relatively thin, flexible hinge section integrally formedbetween said nozzle portion and push-rod connecting said-push-rod tosaid nozzle portion.

2. An actuator as defined in claim 1 which is made of a resilient,tough, plastic material and is molded as an integral unit, said push-rodbeing constructed of relatively thimwalled longitudinal sections joinedby transverse sections rendering said push-rod relatively rigid despitethe resiliency of the material of which it is made.

3. A spray device comprising, in combination, a pressurized spraycontainer fixedly mounted on a wall of an enclosure, said spraycontainer being provided with a spray valve having a valve stem adaptedto operate said valve upon tilting said stem relative to said containerwith said valve stem extending substantially parallel to said wall; anactuator for tilting said valve stem from a location on the oppositeside of said wall; said actuator comprising a nozzle portion having arecess for fittedly receiving the end of said valve stem, at relativelyrigid pushrod connected to said nozzle portion and extending through anaperture in said wall substantially perpendicular to the longitudinalaxis of said valve stern, and a relatively thin, flexible hinge sectionintegrally formed between said nozzle portion and push-rod connectingsaid push-rod to said nozzle portion, said push-rod being restrainedwithin the aperture in said wall for substantially rectilinear movementwhen a force is applied against its outer end, while said hinge sectionpermits said valve stern to tilt with respect to said pus'rrrod.

4. An actuator for use with a dispensing valve in an aerosol device inwhich the valve has a tiltable member for actuation thereof, saidactuator comprising a relatively rigid nozzle portion having means forrigidly mounting it on the tiltable member of said valve such that upontilting said nozzle portion said valve is actuated, an elongatedrelatively rigid push-rod flexibly connected to said nozzle portion andextending transversely thereto for remotely tilting said nozzle portionupon longitudinal movement of said push-rod, and a relatively thin,flexible hinge section integrally formed between said nozzle portion andpush-rod permitting said nozzle portion to tilt with respect to saidpush-rod upon such longitudinal movement of said push-rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,879,205 Gunn Sept. 27, 1932 2,678,147 Abplanalp May 11, 1954 2,686,081Cooksley Aug. 10, 1954 2,869,764 Collins Jan. 20, 1959

